Course Rep Training

Emails have been flying out this week to academic staff about the course rep training which is taking place in week 4 - next week, yet it feels like Fresher's Week was only days ago. So much has happen though since....

This evening i have finished the first issue of the course rep newsletter, which will go out tomorrow - once my email decides to work again!

Below is a copy of the training details - don't forget, even if you did the training last year please come along, your experience and input will be excellent for those reps who are just starting out.

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Training for Course Reps will take place during week 4. Please email volunteer@reading.ac.uk with your preferred sessions. Any student that sits on a Staff-Student Committee is welcome to come along, the sessions are interactive and informative. We had excellent feedback from last year.

Monday 30th Oct 6.30-8.30pm Palmer 106
Tuesday 31st Oct 12-2pm Palmer G05
Thursday 2nd Nov 12-2pm Palmer 107

Also this year we have Faculty Rep training

Friday 3rd Nov 12-2 Palmer G02

This will have RUSU and University input, and is an additional session to the Course Rep Training, providing more detailed sessions on meetings, minutes and communication.

We will re-run some extra sessions in week 7 for those who miss any of the above.

If you have any questions about the training or the scheme, please contact Ryan Bird r.j.e.bird@reading.ac.uk or visit www.rusu.co.uk/coursereps. Also I would be grateful if you could email me details of your new reps so I can add them to the RUSU Course Rep mailing list.

Many thanks

Ryan

r.j.e.bird@rdg.ac.uk

Plagiarism...

One of the things i am keen on this year is highlighting issues before its too late, such as plagiarism, with the ever developing software to check essays for possible cheating it is vital to make sure people dont get caught out. In a recent article Wes Streeting NUS Vice President Education stated that

"We are coming across an increasing number of cases where students have been accused of plagiarism when it's not obvious that the accusation is justified,"

The article also suggests that cases are often dealt with informally in departments and students are encouraged not to appeal, this is crazy, every student has the right to appeal, and should do if accused of such a thing. An essay that is marked down or not graded can be the difference between a degree classification. At Reading this hasnt been an issue, and it should stay that way....




The problem appears to be that students are not being told what plagiarism is, or how to avoid it, it is written the course handbook you recieve when you arrive and thats about it!


During week 7 of the Autumn term and again the Spring term, the union will be raising awareness of this issue and assisting students in avoiding such problems.... interactive workshops, handouts, and useful diagrams will coming your way.

If you have any academic issues that you need support with, please dont hesitate to contact me or pop along to membership services at RUSU.

Anyway week 7 is a long way off yet, first Freshers week, South East Weighting Campaign, Admission Impossible Campaign, The National Demo, Money Week.....


more to follow


Ryan
r.j.e.bird@reading.ac.uk

Who said being a sabbatical officer was easy.....?

This evening i sat down after a hectic week of training, and reflected on the last two months. Its been alot busier and harder than i ever thought it would be, with in-house training, Action through Advocacy course in Chester for education and welfare officers, and my most recent course NSLP - National Student Learning Programme through which i was trained to be a trainer! These courses have been 3 or 4 days long and very intense, 'networking' with other student officers in the evening over a beer or two results in late nights followed by very early mornings, but they have all been worth it and i have learnt alot.

Around these courses, i have been been meeting the many many University staff that i need to get to know, along with preperations for this years campaigns, course reps, the MASIV scheme, the years training programme with emily, regional events, plans to improve representation the list goes on.....

Only being in role for a year, means soooooo much to learn in such little time, and with four out of five of my fellow sabbatical officers in there second term i have found myself feeling a little lost and 'new' at times, but there wealth of knowledge and experience provides me with great support and when out and about talking to other unions i realise what a brilliant team we have at RUSU.

The year ahead is an exciting one and i am looking forward to term starting, so as i prepare for the marathon from freshers to christmas i do with much excitment.... the year ahead is going to be a good one.

Ryan
r.j.e.bird@reading.ac.uk